Dr. Maccoby participates in a Weekly Forum on Washington Post.com called "On Leadership". I am compiling all of his responses to the weekly questions here.
|
DATE: Sept 9, 2009 Staying Loyal or Cutting Losses? Should President Obama have insisted on keeping Van Jones as his "green jobs" adviser after conservative critics began making an issue of Jones's radical past? What signal does this send to other administration officials? Should officials be vetted for their political views? How does a leader make the trade-off between loyalty to a valued colleague and protecting an organization's public image? |
Obama's Failure
Loyalty creates loyalty, and it is essential for a political leader to have a loyal team. Of course there are limits to loyalty. A leader is likely to cut the bonds of loyalty attached to someone who breaks the law or expresses irrational views that undermine his effectiveness. However, letting Van Jones resign was not about loyalty. Rather it involved a failure of President Obama to defend principle and policy.
Jones broke no laws and his radical views were well within the American tradition of political debate and advocacy. The petition he signed called for an independent commission to investigate the administration's previous knowledge that might have averted 9/11. In 2004, a Zogby poll reported the 66 percent of Americans wanted a new 9/11 investigation. There are political actors on both the left and right with radical viewpoints. It is a strength of our country that we allow a clash of ideas, and we would have a less vibrant society if everyone shaped their views to avoid offending someone.
Just as important as the principle of defending the right to express radical views, which Jones seems to have tempered with age and experience, is defending the policies of green jobs that he so effectively promoted. His ideas and projects to create green employment were praised by Republicans as well as Democrats. However, he was attacked by the far right and a foundation supported by traditional energy companies.
The resignation of Jones is a blow to Obama's vision of alternative energy. Having succeeded in knocking off Jones, the enemies of the Obama agenda will be emboldened to attack other key advisers on the basis of their views. Sacrificing Jones was a mistake that may prove costly.
| TMG Home | PTWC | Articles | Books | Contact Info | Comments |
This web site is being maintained by Maria